The Master and His Wealthy Fiancée

Upon hearing this, Wang Wan’Er’s expression changed. The tension that had just eased returned in full force. ’If I really fall into Xin Ranming’s hands,’ she thought, ’suicide is my best option.’

Before Zhuang Zheng and the rest of the ’Eight Immortals’ could react, Chen Dong immediately declared, ”If you want the Immortal Brew, then the two of us must remain completely unharmed. Otherwise, you might as well just kill us now!”

Wang Wan’Er looked at Chen Dong with a complex expression. He was the second person, aside from her lady, who was willing to stand before her and protect her.

The one nicknamed ’Bamboo Pole’ quickly tried to placate him. ”Don’t worry, little brother. No one’s going to hurt you, not even Third Brother!”

Hao Niu chimed in, ”Exactly! Don’t listen to Third Brother. He cultivates a Fire Technique, so it’s understandable that his Heart Fire is a bit strong.”

Zhuang Zheng, however, glared coldly at Xin Ranming. ”Did you not hear what I said?”

Seeing that the boss seemed truly enraged, the Fox Daoist hurried over to intervene. ”Boss, don’t be angry. Third Brother is just desperate for a woman. We’ll find one for him when we get back.” Then he turned to Xin Ranming. ”And you, Third Brother! It’s obvious they’re a young couple. Why are you trying to make a move on his woman? Come on, come on. Follow your big brother here, I’ll lead the way. Stay far away from the husband and wife, lest you can’t control your lower half.”

As the old Daoist pulled Xin Ranming away, the look on Zhuang Zheng’s face softened slightly. He summoned a simple Flying Boat from his storage pouch.

Chen Dong observed its design. It was little more than a raft, a far cry from the Flying Boats summoned by the people who had pursued them before.

They were all in the Foundation Establishment Stage, but this detail alone revealed the difference between a Loose Cultivator and a Sect Disciple.

Bamboo Pole and Hao Niu, who primarily cultivated earth techniques, were quite strong. One at the front and one at the back, they hoisted the twenty-foot-long Tiger Demon onto the Flying Boat.

Because the Treasure Hunting Pavilion wanted it alive, and because storage pouches couldn’t hold living creatures, they had no choice but to rent a Flying Boat. That’s right—this crude vessel was only a rental.

Wang Wan’Er was too injured to fly, and Chen Dong had no cultivation, so they were placed in the empty space behind the Tiger Demon. Zhuang Zheng sat at the front to pilot the Flying Boat, while the rest of the ’Eight Immortals’ weren’t so lucky and had to fly alongside on their own power.

This simple Flying Boat had no protective Arrays whatsoever. Although its speed couldn’t match a Foundation Establishment Cultivator flying at full power, the high-altitude gales still howled incessantly. Perhaps fearing the wind would blemish the Tiger Demon, or perhaps to accommodate Chen Dong and prevent him from using it as an excuse not to brew the wine later, Zhuang Zheng continuously used his True Qi to shield the entire Flying Boat.

Wang Wan’Er’s injuries were not light, and she couldn’t risk healing herself under the watchful eyes of the ’Eight Immortals’. She could only lean against Chen Dong, pretending they were intimate. In her heart, she did this out of fear that Xin Ranming would try to take her away if he knew they weren’t truly a couple. As for Chen Dong, he took advantage of the comfortable situation, leaning back against the Tiger Demon and enjoying the pleasant flight. It was far more comfortable than any airplane from his world.

As the group flew on, Chen Dong took the opportunity to tell the men what tools and medicinal ingredients he required.

After flying for nearly a full day and night, the group finally arrived at the place known as Xiayun River just before sunset.

Within a continuous mountain range lay a giant basin, and inside this basin was the city of Xiayun River. Surrounded on all sides by mountains, it had no need for city walls. It was named Xiayun River because it was close to both the Qixia Sect and the Yun Gu Sect.

The nominal ruler of this place was a Golden Core Cultivator with the Daoist name Gu Zhen. People called him Gu Zhen Zhenren, but fellow cultivators found the name a bit of a mouthful and started calling him Gu Chuan Zhenren instead. The name stuck.

Gu Chuan Zhenren was in seclusion year-round. Although he was the nominal administrator and protector, he didn’t manage anything at all, leaving most affairs to his Foundation Establishment Stage disciples.

The first destination for the ’Eight Immortals’ was the Treasure Hunting Pavilion, which was managed by one of Gu Chuan Zhenren’s disciples.

The Treasure Hunting Pavilion could be found all across the Wangyou Realm, specializing in selling and finding treasures. They were able to grow their business so large because they sought out an agent in every locale, using the agent’s power to protect their business while also giving them a share of the local profits.

The primary power in Xiayun River was, of course, Gu Chuan Zhenren, so the agency rights naturally fell to his followers.

Zhou Zeyuan was Gu Chuan Zhenren’s twelfth-ranked Direct Disciple and the agent in charge of the Treasure Hunting Pavilion.

The group had just landed at the main entrance of the Treasure Hunting Pavilion when a slender, dignified middle-aged man in fine robes flew out to greet them. This was Zhou Zeyuan.

Although the ’Eight Immortals’ didn’t have much of a reputation or status, they were still eight Foundation Establishment Cultivators. Zhou Zeyuan had to show them some respect on account of their cultivation base.

Upon seeing the Tiger Demon, Zhou Zeyuan smiled and said, ”Brother Zhuang, you and your brothers are truly skilled! To think you even managed to find a mutant Unihorned Tiger Demon!”

In front of Zhou Zeyuan, Zhuang Zheng showed none of his usual sharpness. Instead, he seemed almost servile and self-conscious.

”Not at all, not at all. We were simply forced by desperation!”

”I am thoroughly impressed by the skills of Brother Zhuang and his brothers. Please, come inside, quickly! I have already prepared the Fragrant Tea Spirit Stone and have been waiting for you!”

The group handed the Tiger Demon over to an Attendant from the Treasure Hunting Pavilion, along with the Flying Boat. The boat had also been rented from the Treasure Hunting Pavilion, so they simply returned it at the same time.

Chen Dong and Wang Wan’Er didn’t take the opportunity to escape and followed the eight men inside. In a place without rules to bind them, Chen Dong knew the two of them had no chance of getting away.

Upon entering an elegant private room, Chen Dong finally saw what a Spirit Stone looked like.